The San Diego Padres continued their bullpen overhaul by acquiring All-Star closer Tanner Scott from the Miami Marlins. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that the Padres and Marlins are finalizing the deal, which also includes Bryan Hoeing.
In exchange, the Padres will send prospects Robby Snelling, Adam Mazur, Graham Pauley, and Jay Beshears to the Marlins. Scott was highly sought after by several playoff contenders such as the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Philadelphia Phillies.
This move comes shortly after the Padres acquired Jason Adam from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for three prospects, showcasing the aggressive approach of San Diego’s general manager, A.J. Preller.
Preller’s boldness in these deals indicates his strong belief in the Padres’ playoff potential. Joel Reuter from B/R noted that these trades involved three of the Padres’ top seven prospects, including Snelling and Mazur, who were ranked No. 3 and 4 in their system.
The Padres have managed to rebound from a slow start and are now firmly in the National League playoff race with a 57-51 record, tying with the New York Mets for the No. 2 wild card spot and trailing the Los Angeles Dodgers by 6.5 games in the NL West.
Despite the apparent need for rotation depth, the team has focused on strengthening their bullpen, which could be crucial for their postseason aspirations.
Building a dominant bullpen can be advantageous in a postseason series, where relievers often play pivotal roles. The addition of Scott and Adam, along with existing relievers like Robert Suarez, Jeremiah Estrada, and Adrian Morejon, gives the Padres one of the deepest bullpens in MLB.
This depth can help compensate for the limited innings pitched by their starters, such as Dylan Cease, Michael King, and Matt Waldron.
Tanner Scott has been exceptional this season, boasting a 1.18 ERA, the fourth-lowest among all relievers. He has recorded 53 strikeouts and allowed just 19 hits over 45.2 innings in 44 appearances.
His dominance against left-handed hitters, who have a mere .077/.234/.128 slash line against him, further enhances the Padres’ bullpen and boosts their chances of making a strong playoff push.
